Motion picture camera



Aug. 31, 1937. A. s. HOWELL MOTION-PICTURE CAMERA Filed Sept. 26, 1932 10 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 31, 1937.

4 A. s. HOWELL 2,091,508 MOTION PICTURE CAMERA Filed Sept. 26, 1932 l0 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 31, 1937. I 5 HQWELL 2,091,508

MOTION PICTURE CAMERA Filed Sept. 26, 1932 10 Sheets-Sheet 3 i d w 7; F I

Aug. 31, 1937.

A. S. HOWELL MOTION PICTURE CAMERA Filed Sept. 26, 1932 10 Sheets-Sheet 4 Yin/672259? Merit ,d Mfg/Z1 Aug. 31, 1937.

MOTION PICTURE CAMERA A. s. HOWELL I 2,091,508,

Filed Sept. 26, 1932 1o Sheets-Sheet 5 azzrrgmzz. J

f g y fi Aug. 31, 1937. A. s. HOWELL 2,091,508

MQTION PICTURE CAMERA Filed Sept. 26, 1932 1O Sheets-Sheet 6 2/ g 2 IIIITI- 4 Aug. 31, 1937.

A. s. HOWELL 2,091,508 MOTION PICTURE CAMERA Filed Sept. 26, 19:2 10 Sheets-Sheet 'r A. 5. HOWELL MOTION PICTURE CAMERA Filed Sept. 26, 1932 Aug. 31, 1937.

10 Sheets-Sheet 8 yna/euw;

Aug. 31, 1937. A. s. HOWELL 2,091,508

MOTION PICTURE CAMERA Filed Sept. 26, 1932 10 Sheets- Shoot 9 Aug. 31, 1937.

A. s. HOWELL Y MOTION PICTURE CAME Filed Sept. 26, 1932 l0 Sheets-Sheet 10 Patented Aug. 31, 1937 PATENT OFFICE MOTION PICTURE CAMERA Albert S. Howell, Chicago, Ill., assignor to The Bell & Howell Company, Chicago, Ill., :1. corporation of Illinois Application September 26, 1932, Serial No. 634,934

10 Claims.

My invention relates particularly to motion v picture cameras of the type in which a film strip is run through the camera a plurality of times to expose difierent longitudinal sections of the film strip, and the general object of the'invention resides in the provision of a novel motion picture camera of the above type which is simple and convenient.

With this object in view my invention eonsists in certain features of novelty by which this and certain other objects, hereinafter appearing, are effected, all as fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the said drawings- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a motion picture camera embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the same; Figure 3 is a similar elevation showing the 20 camera in its relatively upside down position,

hereinafter described;

Figure 4 is a plan view of the same; Figure 5 is an enlarged side elevation of the same with the cover of the camera casing re- 5 moved and with parts broken away and shown in section; l

Figure 6 is a plan view with parts broken away and shown in section;

Figure '7 is a partial front elevation of a por- 30 tion of the mechanism hereinafter described;

Figure 8 is a sectiorfal view substantially on the line 8-8 of Figure 6;

Figure 9 is a sectional view substantially on the line 99 of Figure 8;

the line lfll0 of Figure 6;

Figure 11 is a sectional view substantially on the line H-Il of Figure 5;

Figure 12 is a partial sectional view substan- 40 tially on the line l2l2 of Figure 8; J Figure 13 is a partial sectional view on the line -l3-l3 of Figure2;

Figures 14, 15, 16 and-17 are similar diagrammatic views of a portion of the mechanism show- 45 ing different positions thereof;

Figure 18 is a plan sectional view of the film cartridge of my invention;

. Figure 19 is abottom plan view of the same;

Figure 20 is an axial section of the magazine 1 5 with the film removed and taken on the line 20-20 of Figure 19;

Figure 21 is a face view of a motion picture film used in the camera;

Figure 22 is a faceview of the same after ex- 55 posure and development; and

Figure 10 is a sectional view substantially on Figure 23 is a face view of the developed film after splitting and splicing for projection as hereinafter described.

Like characters of reference indicate like parts in the several views.

Referring to the drawings, l designates a camera casing which is inclusive of a cover 2 closing a side opening thereof and detachably secured on the casing by a releasable locking device generally designated at 3. See Figures 1 to 4 and 9. Arranged intermediately within the casing are parallel frame plates 4 and 5 disposed in vertical forwardly and rearwardly extending planes.

The innermost frame plate 5 adjoinsa spring motor housing 6 on the side of the camera opposite the open side thereof, and arranged within the housing 6 and disposed on a transverse axis is a spring motor, see Figure 9, consisting of a revoluble hub I provided with an axial bore having a clutch formation 8 for engagement with a winding key 9 shown in Figure 2, a stationary bored member i I disposed coaxially with the hub 1, a spring brake coil i2 operative between the hub I and member Ii to permit rotation of the hub in only one direction, a spiral power spring [3 having its inner end secured with the huh I and disposed within and having its outer end secured with a revoluble cup shaped spring casing member I which is rotated by the power spring.

A revoluble shaft I5 extends transversely within the motor housing 6 and between the frame plates 4 and 5, and has a pinion I6 secured thereon within the motor housing and meshing with gear teeth il formed on the periphery of the spring casing member M for the driving of the shaft l5 from the spring motor. See Figures 8, 10 and 12.

Secured on the shaft l5 and disposed between the frame plates Q and 5 is a large spiral gear l8 which meshes with a small spiral pinion l9 secured on one end portion of a vertically arranged revoluble shaft 2!, disposed rearwardly between the fiame plates, for the driving of this shaft. See Figure 8.

Secured on the shaft 2| adjacent its other end is a pair of spaced spur gears 22 and meshing with one of these gears is a revoluble spur gear 23. See Figures 6 and 8. A revoluble spur gear 24 meshes with the other of the gears 22 and another revoluble spur gear 25 meshes with the gear 24, the gears 23 and 25 being spaced and driven in opposite directions from the shaft 2 I.

Another revoluble vertically arranged shaft 26 is disposed forwardly between the frame plates 4 and 5 and angularly secured with this shaft and slidable thereon is a shiftable member 21 which is provided with a spur gear 28 which may mesh with either of the gears 23 and 25, by shift- 5 ing of the member 21, to drive the shaft 26 in either direction from the shaft 2|, the gear 28 having an intermediate position between the gears 23 and 25 in which it is not meshed with either of the gears 23 and 25.

A forwardly and rearwardly extending revoluble shaft 29 is provided at its forward portion with a spiral gear 30 which meshes with a spiral gear 3| secured on the intermediate portion of the shaft 2|, and the shaft 29 is connected with a suitable speed governor, generally indicated at 32 and enclosed in a rearwardly projecting chamber 33 of the casing I, for effecting a controlled uniform speed of the shaft 2| and the mechanism driven thereby. See Figure 8.

The portion of the interior of the casing l between the plate'4 and the cover 2 comprises the film chamber, and disposed forwardly in this chamber and'intermediately of. the camera verti cally is a transversely disposed intermittent film feed exposure guide which consists as follows, see

Figures 5, 9 and 11.

A 'rear guide plate 34 is secured against the outer face of the frame plate 3 by means of headed shoulder screws 35 passing through apertures in this frame plate and screwthreaded into the guide plate, and a front guide plate 36 has a rearwardly extending portion 31 mounted for forward and rearward sliding movement on the inner face of the frame plate 4 by means of forwardly and rearwardly extending slotted portions of the portion 31 engaging the screws 35 under the heads thereof and a rearwardly disposed'stud 38 on the frame plate 4, a spring 39 secured at its opposite ends with the stud 3B and the portions 31 yieldably urging and normally maintaining the front guide plate in its rearward or closed guide position.

When,in adjacent relation as shown, the guide 1 plates 34 and 36 form a vertical channel 4|, see 45 Figure 9, for the feeding of a filin strip therethrough, the guide plate 36 being moved forwardly for thelacin'g of the film strip therein.

A revoluble transverse shaft 42 extends between the frame plates 4 and 5 and is provided with a spiral gear 43 therebetween which meshes with a spiral gear 44 secured on the shaft 26 for the driving of the'shaft 42, and secured on the shaft 42 immediately outward of the frame plate 4 are two heart:shaped cams 45 and 46. SeeFigures 5, 8, 9 and 12.

Two superposed shuttles 41 and 48 are disposed immediately outward of the frame plate 4 and are I pivotally, and slidably mounted at their rear ends, by means of slots 49 therethrough, on a headed shoulder screw 5| mounted on the frame plate 4.

The intermediate portions of the shuttles are enlarged and are provided with rectangular openings 52 and 53, of which the cam opening 52 of 65 the shuttle 41 is engaged by the inner cam 45 l and the cam opening 53 of the shuttle 48 is engaged by the cam 46.,

The front portions of the shuttles 41 and 48 are provided with film strip perforation engaging 7 teeth 54 and 55, the tooth 54 of the shuttle 41 being slidably engaged for forward and rearward engaging movement in an aperture 56 through the rear film guide plate 34 while the tooth 55 of the shuttle 48 is slidably engaged for rec- 75 tangular movement in a vertical forwardly and rearwardly extending plane in a vertical slot 51 through the rear film guide plate. See Figures 5 and 11.

The cam opening 52 of the shuttle 41 is engaged by the cam 45 only at the vertical sides thereof so that this shuttle receives only a forward and rearward reciprocating movement as the shaft 42 is rotated. The cam opening 53 of the shuttle 48 is engaged by the cam 46 on the four sides thereof so that the tooth 55 of the shuttle receives a rectangular movement as the shaft 42 is rotated.

The cams 45 and 46 are set at 180 so that in feeding a film in the guide the shuttle 48 intermittently engages perforations of a film strip in the guide to intermittently feed the same while the shuttle 41 intermittently engages perforations of the film strip in alternation with the shuttle 48 to register the film strip during the periods of rest thereof, it being observed that this intermittent feed mechanism is operable in either direction to feed a film strip in either direction.

A revoluble forwardly and rearwardly extending shaft 58 is disposed between the frame plates 4 and 5 adjacent the intermittent film feed guide and is provided with a spiral gear 59 on its rear end which meshes with another spiral gear 6! secured on the shaft 26 for the driving of the shaft 58 therefrom. Secured on the forward portion of the shaft 58 is a segmental light shutter 62 which sweeps in front of the intermittent feed guide for intermittently cutting oif the exposure light therefrom during feeding movement of the film strip in the guide.

The front guide plate 36 is provided with transversely alined exposure apertures 63, each adapted to expose substantially one-half of the picture area of the film strip in the guide transversely of the film strip, and arranged immediately in front of the guide plate and vertically shiftable, in a manner hereinafter described is a shutter plate 64 provided with transversely arranged vertically staggered exposure aperturesv 65 vertically alined respectively with the apertures 63, so that either of two longitudinal sections of a film strip fed through the intermittent feed guide may be progressively exposed,"

See Figures 5, 9 and 11.

Mounted for rotation in a bore in the front wall of the casing-in front of the intermittent feed guide is a lens mount member 66 in an eccentric bore of which a photographic lens 61 is mounted for angular shifting movement to aline with either of the exposure apertures 63 of the front guide plate 36, the lens being shifted to aline with the aperture 63 which is uncovered by the respective aperture 65 of the shutter plate 64 to photographically expose the respective longitudinal section of the film strip fed through the guide.

The reversible intermittent film feedingmechanism of the camera together with the exposure shutter 62 are driven from the shaft 26, hereinbefore described, so that the direction of operation of the feeding mechanism and the exposure shutter may be reversed by shifting the gear 28 from engagement with one of the gears 23 and 25 into engagement with the other, as hereinbefore described.

The purpose of this arrangement is to provide for progressively exposing one longitudinal sec-- 'th the normal action of this tion of a film strip section running in one direction and to subsequently progressively expose the other longitudinal section of the film strip with the normal action of the latter section running in the oppoposite directions as indicated by the arrows in this figure, which may be projected by first running the film strip in one direction and then running it in the opposite direction, or preferably, where the film strip is double perforated as shown, splitting the film strip along its center and splicing the separated half width strips together with the picture sections and perforations of the two half width strips alined and with the normal action of the two picture sections running in the same direction for projection from the half width double length film strip without re versing the feed of the strip.

The splice is indicated at 12 in Figure 23 and the arrows indicate the direction of normal action of the succeeding picture sections.

The method of my invention of operating the camera resides in exposing one-.of the longitudi nal sections of the film strip while the strip is fed in one direction and subsequently exposing the other longitudinal section of the film strip while the strip is fed in the other direction and with the camera in a relatively upside down position; the initial operating position of the camera for exposing the first longitudinal section of the film strip being shown in Figures .1 and 2, and the opposite or relatively upside down position of the camera for exposing the other longitudinal section of the film strip being shown in Figure 3.

In carrying out the method of my invention the lens 61 and the shutter plate 64 are posi-i' tioned correspondingly to expose one longitudinal section of the film while the gear 28 is engaged with one of the gears 23 and 25 to feed the film strip in one direction. Then the lens 61 and shutter plate 84 are shifted correspondingly to expose the other longitudinal section and the gear 28 is shifted to feed the film strip in the opposite direction and said other longitudinal section of the film strip is exposed with the camera in the aforesaid relatively upside down position.

In order to facilitate the positioning of the various devices for exposing the two longitudinaLsections of the film strip,'as above described,

' and to'render the operation of the camera in'the aforesaid opposite operating positions thereof convenient, the following is provided.

A'plate 13 is slidably mounted on the outer face of the frame plate for vertical shifting movementparallel to the shafts 2| and 26 by means of headed shoulder screws 14 passing through slots 15v in the plate 13 and screwthreaded into the plate 5. See Figures 8, 9, 11

andl2.

A forwardly and rearwardly disposed U-shaped spring member 78 has its closed end disposed rearwardly and has one leg thereof secured, by means of screws 11, on the plate 13 and has the free end of the other leg thereof engaged in a shifting groove formation 18 on the shiftable member 21 whereby the gear 28 is shiftable with The shutter plate 84 extends inwardly from the front guide plate 38 and has its inner end angled and secured to the plate 13, as designated at 19, whereby the shutter plate is shiftable with the plate 13 and gear 28 to expose one longitudinal section of the film strip when the gear 28 is engaged with one of the gears 23 and 25 to feed the film strip in one direction and to expose the other longitudinal section of the film strip when the gear 28 is engaged with the other of the gears 23 and 25 to feed the film in the opposite direction.

The forward portion of the plate 13 isangled to lie parallel with the front of the camera, as designated at 8|, and this portionof the plate is provided with a vertical gear rack 82 which meshes with the smaller of two coaxial ears 83 and 84 fixed with each other and mounted for rotation on the axis of the shutter shaft 58. See Figures 8, 9 and 11.

The larger gear 84 meshes witha gear 85 on the lens mount member 66, whereby shifting of the plate I3 from either end of its movement to the other effects movement of the lens mount member 88 and the lens 81, mounted eccentrically thereon, through an angle of 180 to aline the lens with the exposure aperture 63 which is uncovered by the shutter plate 84 for the photographic exposure of the corresponding longitudinal section of the film strip.

Operation of the camera is manually controlled to start and stop the same in the following manner.

A forwardly disposed vertical rod 86 is slidably mounted on the plate 13 by means of spaced bearings' 81, rotation of the rod being prevented by a radially projecting pin 88 slidably engaging in a vertical slot 89 in the plate 13. See Figures 8 and 11. Arranged onthe rod are spaced stop members 9| which are disposed to lie in the path of the exposure shutter 82 to be engaged by the radial edges thereof and thus stop operation of the camera when the rod 86 is disposed at the corresponding ends'of its movement, the stop members 9| being arranged to lie out of the path of the shutter 62 when the rod is in an intermediate position of its movement to permit operation of the camera.

A spring arm 92 is formed integrally with the shift member '16 and accordingly has its rear end secured with the plate I3, and the forward or free end of this arm is engaged in a slotted shifting formation 93 on the rod86, whereby the rod 88 is shifted with the plate 13 to its opposite posi-- tions in which .one or the other of the stop members 9| is engaged by the shutter 82 to stop opera,- tion of the camera.

By reason of the arm 92 being resilient, the rod 86 may be moved from either end of its movement to its intermediate position for release of the shutter 62 for operation of the camera, the arm 82 returning the rod to the end of its movement corresponding with the position of the plate 13 when the rod is released to stop operation of the camera.

Slidably engaged in counterbored bores through the opposite horizontal end walls of the casing l and accessible from these sides of the camera, are

push buttons 94, the shanks of which extend into the casing and are pivotally connected with corresponding ends of levers 95 within the casing which are intermediately pivoted, as designated at 96. See Figure 11. Compression springs 91, encircling the shanks of the push buttons and reacting on the casing, engage against the heads of the push buttons 94 and yieldably urge the 10 only one of the push buttons is operative at one time to actuate the rod $6 to release the camera mechanism for operation thereof, this serving as an indication to the operator as to the proper position in which the camera is to be held for the K l5 proper exposure of the film strip during the instant run of the film strip in the camera, the arrangement being such that the camera should be positioned with the operative push button at the top.

20 Two view finders IdI of the enclosed tube type are arranged on the upper and lower ends of the casing I and are thus disposed in opposite relation with the exposure region of the camera for alternate use, one in one photographic posi- 25 tion of the'camera during progressive exposure of the film strip in one direction and the other in the other photographing or relatively upside down position of the camera, the view finder which is at the top of the camera being the one 30 used.

In order to additionally indicate to the operator the proper position in which the camera is to be held for the proper exposure of the film strip during the instant run of the camera, the ends of 35 the rod 86 are so arranged that as the shift plate 13 is positioned for one or the other run of the film strip, the adjacent end of the rod is projected through a suitable bore I02 into the tube of the view finder which should be at the bottom 40 during the instant run of the film strip, thus cutting off the view through this view finder to render it functionless. See Figures 11 and 12. This alternate rendering of the view finders functionless is an indication to the operator as to the 45 proper position of the camera in an obvious manner. c

Secured on the side of the spring casing I4 adjacent the frame plate 5, see Figures 9 and 10,

is a modifiedGeneva movement cam I03 having a 50 projecting tooth I04 disposed between twofiutes I05. A star wheel I06 is rotatably mounted on the frame plate 5 in cooperating relation withthe cam I08 and is moved one tooth with each revolution of the cam and spring casing.

A latch plate It! is disposed forwardly of the star wheel I06 between-the frame plate 5 and the spring casing I4 and is mounted for forward and rearward movement by means of studs I08 on the frame plate and engaged in slots I09 in the latch plate. The latch plate has secured thereto a rearwardly projecting spring arm I II the rear end of which is enlarged for engagement with a full tooth I I 2- of the star wheel to move the latch plate forwardly from its rear position, 65 the remainder of the teeth of the star wheel being cut away, as designated at II3, to clear the arm III. A spring I yieldably urges the latch plate rearwardly and normally maintains it'in its rearward or locking position.

70 The latch plate I III is provided with a vertical slot II the forward edge of which is formed with terminal locking notches IIB. A stud I I1 is mounted on the shift plate 13 and engages in the slot IIB, so that the terminal notches H6 76 engage the stud I I1 under the influence of the mechanism.

spring ill to lock the shift plate at the opposite ends of its movement.

The shift plate I3 is yieldably urged into an intermediate position from either end of its movement by opposing balanced springs II 8, so that, 5 upon forward movement of the latch plate to release the stud Ill from the engaged notch IIIS of the latch plate, the shift plate I3 is moved to its intermediate position.

The drive shaft 2I is provided with a diametril0 cally projecting pin H9, see Figure 8, and when the shift plate I3 is in its aforesaid intermediate position, the transverse portion of the U-shaped spring shift member It lies in the path of this pin andis engaged thereby to stop 15 operation of the mechanism, the shifting, as

4 shown the partial shifting, of the reversible driving means and of the exposure means being efiected as an incident of-the stoppage of the As a run of the camera is made the star wheel I06 is periodically advanced until a predetermined run is made, whereupon the full tooth H2 engages the arm III and moves the latch plate Idl forwardly to release the shift plate It which upon release moves to its intermediate position, resulting in stoppageof the mechanism and shifting of the reversible driving means and the exposure means.

The shift plate 13 is manually shifted from its intermediate position to the proper end of its movement for the initial run of the film by a transversely projecting extension I2I to which the springs H8 are attached and which projects 'through a vertical slot I22 in the frame plate 3 t for manual operation'of the shift plate when the cover 2 is removed. See Figures 5 and 8.

The camera having been loaded with film, as hereinafter described and the shift plate 13 set for the initial run of the film strip, the cover 2 40 is latched on the casing I, after which the first section of the film strip is exposed. The initial predetermined run of the film strip having been completed, the mechanism is stopped and the shift plate is moved into its intermediate position automatically as hereinbefore described, the

operator receiving indication by the inoperativeness of the camera.

The shift plate I3 is then manually positioned at the other end of its movement for the reverse run of the film strip without opening of the camera in a manner now to be described.

The transverse portion 8I of the shift plate 13 is extended at one end with a relatively wide portion I23 which underlies an aperture I24 through the front wall of the casing I in all positions of the shift plate. See Figures 2 and 8.

In the position of the shift plate for the initial run of the film the outer end of the portion I I23 underlies the aperture I24 and is provided with characters I25 visible through the aperture indicating the proper photographing position of the camera for the initial run of the film strip.

The portion- I23 has, intermediately disposed thereon, a forwardly facing transverse slot I26 which does not lie within the area of the aperi ture I26 when the shift plate is positioned for the initial run of the camera, but which does lie within the area of the aperture I 24 at one end thereof when the shift plate is in its intermediate position, see Figure 2, and at the other end of the aperture when the shift plate is positioned at the other end of its movement for the revers run of the camera, see Figure 3.

Consequently, after the initial .run of the film strip is completed and the shift plate is in its intermediate position, the shift plate is manually moved to the end of its movement corresponding with the reverse run of the film strip by engaging the slot I26 through the aperture I24 to move the shift plate to,the reverse run position thereof in which the slot I28 lies at the other end of the aperture I24.

When the reverse run of the camera is completed the camera is stopped and the shift plate is shifted to its intermediate position preparatory to reloading the camera.

The cycle of operation of the shift plate I3 and associated'parts is illustrated in Figures 14, i5 15, 16 and 17.

Figure 14 illustrates the position of the parts during the initial run of the film. Figure 15 lllustrates the position of the parts at the end of the initial run of the film. Figure 16 illus- 20 trates the position of the parts during the reverse run of the film. Figure 1'7 illustrates the position of the parts at, the end of the reverse run of the film which is the same position as that of Figure 15 except with'reference to certain part now to be described.

The portion I23 of the shift plate 13 is provided with a relatively wide transverse channel I21 in its forward face and arranged in this channel is a relatively narrow transverse plate I28 having frictional engagement with the front wall of the casing I, so that it is only moved with the shift plate by abutment of the transverse edges of the channel I21 with the corresponding edges of the plate I28, thus forming a lost motion connection between the portion I23 of the shift plate and the plate I 28, See Figure 8.

Referring to Figure 14 the plate I28 lies sub stantially out of the area of the aperture I24 in the initial run position of the shift plate. In the shifting of the shift plate from its initial run position to its intermediate position, as shown in Figure 15,'the plate I28 remains in its position substantially out of the area of the aperture I24, leaving the slot I26 exposed for shifting the shift plate to the reverse run position thereof, as shown in Figure 16. However, during this latter shift of the shift plate the plate I28 is shifted to cover a substantial area of the aperture I24, leaving, however, the slot I26 exposed.

The portion of the plate I28 visible in the aperture I24 in the latter position thereof is provided with characters I23 disposed reversely to the indicating characters I25 of the portion I23 to indicate the proper position of the camera during the reverse run of the film strip; See Figures 3 and 15.

In the movement of the shift plate from its reverse run position to its intermediate position, the plate i28 remains stationary and covers the slot I26, so that the complete exposure of the film is indicated to theoperator, thus indicating to the operator that the camera must be reloadedand resetby actuation of the extension I2I to shift the shift plate to its .initial run position, the plate I28 being moved substantially out of the area of the aperture I24 during this shift.

The film roll structure of the camera will now be described. See Figures 5 and 12.

Arranged at one vertical end of the film chamber between the frame plate 4 and the cover 2 is a substantially circular film magazine chamber formation I3I disposed on a transverse axis and provided with a peripherally rojecting angle portion I32 having one side thereof adjacent an end of the intermittent film feed guide and disposed normal to the plane thereof and provided with a film slot I33 alined with the feed guide and through which a film I34 passes between the magazine chamber and the adjacent end of the feed guide. See Figures 5 and 11.

The magazine chamber is adapted to receive the film magazine of my invention which consists as follows. See Figures 18, 19 and 20.

A cup shaped body member I35, preferably of sheet meta1, is adapted to be engaged in the chamber I3I and is accordingly of substantially circular form and provided with a peripherally projecting angle portion I36 engageable in the angle portion I32 of the chamber I3I, the side of said angle portion I36 corresponding with the side of the angle portion I32 having the film slot I33 being provided with a film slot I31 registering with the slot I33 for the passage of the film I34 therethrough.

Disposed within the angle portion I36 and secured with the body member I35, is an angle member I38 forming a rectangular transversely extending enclosure with the angle portion and provided, on the side thereof opposite the leg of the angle portion provided with the film slot I31, with a film slot I33 alined with the slot I31 {or the passage of the film I34 therethrough.

Disposed within the aforesaid rectangular enclosure is a pad I of yieldable material, such as felt, which is intermediately, split for the passage of the film therethrough to provide a light tight passage for the film between the interior and the exterior of the magazine, a light bow spring I42 compressing the pad I normal to the plane of the film to insure light tight engagement of the pad with the film.

A cover I43, also preferably of sheet metal,

completes the enclosure of the bodv part and is cessitating mutilation of at least one of the parts toopen the magazine, to prevent reloading of the magazine for re-use.

A revoluble axle I46 is journaled in central apertures through both the body and cover members I35 and I43, and'secured on this axle for rotation thereby is film spool I41 of relatively large diameter, preferably formed of a single strip of sheet metal providing diametrically extending double portions I48 intermediately embracing the axle and secured thereto and providing a slot I49 into which the inner end of a roll of film I5I on the spool is engaged. The axle I46 is bent at a right angle, as designated at I52, exteriorly of the transverse wall of the body member I35 to drive the spool I41 to rewind the film into the magazine as hereinafter described.

The magazine is detachably mounted in the magazine chamber I3I with the peripherally projecting interlocking seam of the body and cover parts overlying the wall of the chamber I3I, see I Figure 12, the cover 2 retaining the magazine in the magazine chamber when in closed position on the casing I. When the magazine is mounted in the magazine chamber the film passage alines with the film slot I33 of the magazine for the feeding of the film into and out of the magazine.

Arranged at the vertical end of the film chamber opposite that at which the magazine chamber I3I is disposed, is a substantially circular film receiving chamber formation I53 provided 5 with a sbstantially tangential film slot I54 alined with the intermittent film feed guide for the feeding of the film strip I36 therefrom into and out of the receiving chamber. See Figures 5 and 12. Disposed centrally of the chamber I53 and mounted for rotation on the frame plate 6, is a shaft I55, and mounted on this shaft for rotation thereby is a relatively large hub consisting of two spaced discs I56. I An arcuate arm I51 is pivotally mounted at one end eccentrically on the hub by means of a rod I58 extending between the discs I56 and secured therewith. The arm I51 is yieldably urged outwardly by means of a torsion spring I53 encircling the rod I58 and having one end engaged with the arm and the other end engaged with a stud I H mounted on one of the discs I 56.

The outer end of thearm I51 is provided with laterally extending portions I62 having their end portions turned outwardly beyond the edges of a coil I63 of the film I36 within the chamber to engage the interior of the chamber wall, thus supporting the intermediate portion of the outer'end of the arm I51 which underlies the film coil I63 out of contact with the chamber wall. The said intermediate portion of the outer end of the arm I51 is faced with a suitable friction material I 64, such as rubber, for frictional engagement with the interior of the film coil I63 for the winding of the film strip I36 as it is fed into the chamber by the feeding mechanism, the shaft I55 being driven with the feeding mechanism, as hereinafter described, in the direction of rotation of the film coil as the film strip is fed into the chamber and at or above the speed of rotation of the coil.

As the film coil I63 in the receiving chamber increases in thickness, due to the feeding of the film strip thereinto, the arm I51 is moved toward the hub until the interior of the film coil engages the hub, transverse slots I65 in the periphery of the discs I56 receiving the laterally extending portions I62 of the arm as the arm moves to its v inner position. i

I The film cartridge of my invention comprises the magazine abo e described loaded with a roll of sensitized film d having one end of the film projecting from the magazine, as shown in Figures 18 and 19. In loading the camera the loaded magazine is placed in the magazine chamber I3I and the projecting end of the film strip is threaded through the intermittent film feed guide and into the receiving chamber I53. having been set for the initial run of the camera, the cover 2 is closed and the initial run of the film strip is made in which the film-is fed. from the magazine into the receiving chamber I53, the axle I46 of the film magazine being free to rotate with the film roll in the magazine and the shaft I55 being driven to wind the film strip in the receiving chamber during this run of the film s rip.

The mechanism is automatically stopped at the end of its initial run and before the film strip completely leaves the spool I41.

The shift plate 13 is then set for the reverse run of the camera, and during the reverse run the film is fed from the receiving chamber I53 back into the magazine, the shaft I55 being free The shift plate 13 to rotate with the film coil I62 and the axle I46 being driven to wind the film strip back into the magazine during this run of the film strip, the magazine with the exposed film therein being removed for development of the film therein and another loaded magazine being placed in the camera for exposing its film.

The axle I46 of the film magazine and-the shaft I55 of the receiving chamber are alternately driven with the feeding mechanism, the shaft I55 during the initial run direction of operation of the feeding mechanism and the axle I46 during the reverse run direction of operation of the feeding mechanism, in the following manher. See Figures 8, 12 and 13.

A rotatable shaft I66 is mounted on the frame plate 6 in coaxial relation with the axle I46 and has its outer endenlarged and transversely slotted, as designated at I61, see Figures 5 and 12, to engage the angle portion I52 of the axle for driving the axle from the shaft I66.

A substantially vertical revoluble shaft I68 is disposed between the frame plates 6 and 5 and has a spiral gear I69 on the intermediate portion thereof which meshes with the cam shaft gear 63 for the driving of the shaft I 68 therefrom. Spur pinions Ill are secured on the ends of the shaft I68 and the shafts I55 and I66 are driven from the pinions I1I in the following manner, and, inasmuch as the drives of the shafts I55 and I66 are similar, the drive between the shaft I55 and the adjacent pinion I1I will be described, it being understood that the description is applicable to the drive of the shaft I66.

Revolubly mounted on the'shaft I55 is a bored cup shaped member I12, and disposed within the enclosure thereof and keyed on the shaft- I55 is a disc I13 provided with peripheral radial cam formations I16 spaced angular ly thereabout. See Figures 12 and 13. Balls I15 are disposed between the cam formations I16 and the interior surface of the cup-shaped member I12, to form an overrunning or one way driving clutch, the cam formations acting to wedge the balls against the member I12 to form a driving connection between the member I12 and the disc I13 when the member I 12 is rotated in one direction and to release the same when the member I12 is rotated in the opposite direction. A circular plate I16 is secured on the inner end of the shaft I55 by a screw I11 and retains the balls I 15 in the cam formations.

The member I12 is provided with an exterior hub I18 upon which a crown gear member I19 is rotatably mounted. The crown gear meshes with the adjacent pinion I1I for the driving thereof,-and the web of the crown gear is disposed between and in frictional engagement with the transverse wall of the cup shaped member I12 and a friction disc IBI slidably keyed on the hub of the member I12. A spring member I82 is secured on the hub of the member I12 and maintains frictional contact between the webs of the gear member I19, the member I 12 and the disc I8I, thus providing a friction slip driving connection between the gear member I19 and the member I12.

Thus, is provided friction slip one way driving connections between the shaft I68 and the shafts I55 and I66, the arrangement being such that the shaft I55 is driven in the direction to wind the film strip in the receiving chamber and the shaft I66 is free to rotate with the film roll in the magazine during the initial run of the camera and the shaft I 66 is driven to wind the film in the magazine and the shaft I55 is free to rotate with the film roll in the receiving chamber during the reverse run of the camera, the friction slip driving devices permitting slippage when the film roll drives overrun the speed of rotation of the film rolls as the film strip is wound thereon.

While I have herein shown and described my invention, I do not wish to be limited to the precise details shown and described as changes may readily be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, but having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent the following.

1. Ina motion picture camera the combination with means for progressively exposing one longitudinal section of a film strip in one direction and subsequently progressively exposing another longitudinal section of the film strip in the other direction including film feeding mechanism and shiftable means operative to reverse the direction of film feed by said feeding means relative to the camera casing, manually releasable means operative to stop operation of said feeding mechanism, and means responsive to a predetermined run of said feeding mechanism and adapted to shift said shiftable means and to render said stopping means operative at the end of said predetermined run of said feeding mechanism.

2. In a motion picture camera the combination with means for progressively exposing one longitudinal section of a film strip in one direction and subsequently progressively exposing another longitudinal section of the film strip in the other direction including film feeding, mechanism and shiftable means operative to reverse the direction of film feed by said feeding means relative to the camera casing, manually releasable means operative upon shifting of said shiftable means to stop operation of said feeding mechanism, and means responsive to a predetermined run of said feeding mechanism and adapted to shift said'shiftable -means and render said stopping means operative at the end of said predetermined run of said feeding mechanism.

3. In a motion picture camera the combination with means for progressively exposing one longitudinal section of a film strip .in one direction and subsequently progressively exposing another longitudinal section of the film strip in the other direction including film feeding mechanism and shiftable means operative to reverse the directionof film feed by said feeding means relative to the camera casing, means operative, upon shifting of said shiftable means to an intermediate position of its movement, to stop operation of said feeding mechanism and releasable upon shifting of said shiftable means from said intermediate position, and means responsive to a predetermined run of said feeding mechanism and adapted to shift said shiftable means to said intermediate position at the end of said predetermined run, said shlftable means being manually shiftable from said intermediate position.

4. In a power driven camera the combination with means for progressively exposing one iongitudinal section of a film strip in one direction and subsequently progressively exposing another longitudinal section of the film strip in the other direction including reversible film strip feeding means and reversing means for driving said feeding means and shiftable to operate said feeding means in opposite directions, a stop device controlling operation of said feeding means and provided with spaced opposing stop formations operative to stop operation of said feeding means in for operating said stop device to its opposite stopping positions with movement of said shiftable means to its opposite positions, control devices accessible from opposite sides of the camera, one way operative connections between said control devices and said stopping device and operative oppositely on said stopping device and means limiting movement of said control devices in their operative directions whereby one control device is operative to move said stop device from one end of its movement to said intermediate position and the other control device is operative to move said stop device from the other end of its movement to said intermediate position.

5. In a motion picture camera the combination with means for progressively exposing one longitudinal section of a film strip in one direction andsubsequently progressively exposing another longitudinal section ofthe film strip in the other direction with the camera in a relatively upside down position including means shiftable to feed the strip in opposite directions relative to the camera casing, of means operatively connected with said shiftable means and adapted to indicate the proper position of the camera for the exposure of the instant longitudinal section of the strip in opposite directions relative to the camera casing, of visually observable means operatively connected with said shiftable means and adapted to indicate the proper position of the camera for the exposure of the instant longitudinal section of the film strip.

, 7. In a motion picture camera the combination with means including reversible film strip feed mechanism for progressively exposing one longitudinal section of a film strip'in one direction and subsequently progressively exposing another longitudinal section of the film strip in the other direction and including means shiftable to feed the strip in opposite directions relative to the camera casing, of two view finders facing in the same, direction and disposed on the camera on opposite sides of the exposure region thereof, and means operatively connected with said shiftable means and adapted to alternately render said view finders inoperative.

8. In a power driven motion picture camera the combination with means including reversible film strip feed mechanism for progressively exposing one longitudinal section of a film strip in one direction and subsequently progressively exposing another longitudinal sectionof a film strip in the opposite direction including reversing drivmg means shiftable to operate said feed mechanism in opposite directions, of two view finders facing in the same direction and disposed on the 9. In a power driven motion picture camera the combination with means including reversible film strip feed mechanism for progressively exposing one longitudinal section of a film strip in one direction and subsequently progressively exposing another longitudinal section of the film strip in the other direction and including means shiftable to feed the strip in opposite directions relative to the camera casing, of means accessible from opposite sides of the camera for controlling operation thereof, two view finders facing in the same direction and disposed on the camera on opposite sides of the exposure region thereof, means operatively connected with said shiftable means and operative to render said controlling means inoperative to control the feeding mechanism alternately from opposite sides of the camera, and means also operatively connected with said shiftable means and operative to alternately render said view finders inoperative.

10. In a. power driven motion picture camera vcamera on opposite sides of the exposure region thereof, means operatively connected with said shiftable means and operative to render said controlling means inoperative to control said feeding mechanism alternately from opposite sides of the camera, and means also operatively connected with said shiftable means and operative to alternately render said view finders inoperative.

ALBERT S. HOWELL. 

